This Earendel matriarchal society worships “Wolfram” a deity that communicates directly with the high priestess of wolfram, who acts as spiritual and political leader.  Wolfram is not a deity but is in fact a lich that rules the country from its crypt.  Wolfram was a member of the royal family, but never got closer than 4th in line to the throne before the collapse of the empire.  

Once the empire collapsed, she retreated to the crypt in her city, where she telepathically controlled whomever was the head of the city.  Over time these leaders were convinced that they were being contacted by a god, and the theocracy developed naturally since then.  

Her hatred of the patriarchy she lived in under the old empire bled into the consciousness of all in the city.

Another side effect of the Lich’s power over the city is a significant decrease of male births, approx. 20%. 

The lich also subtly sways popular opinion owing to her vast telepathic abilities.  Anyone entering her city will be open to having their minds read, regardless of their position in the city.  This only applies when the Lich is in her crypt.  If removed, her telepathic abilities are limited to 1000ft

Claudia Felicitas, the lich “Wolfram”

Claudia Felicitas, Countess of Tyrol, was the niece of the last emperor, and was 15th in line to the throne when she was born.  Ambitious and extremely magically and telekinetically gifted, she was determined to become the Empress.  She conducted a string of assassinations on her relatives, and by the time of the fracturing was 4th in line, when she was 22 years old.  She had just framed her brother for the assassinations already completed.  The destruction of the royal city ruined her plans, so she retreated to the crypts beneath her castle in the city that would come to be known as Wolfram, at the time known as Tyrolsburg.  The city was the northern border city of the empire, and the site of one of 8 massive fortifications around the empire.  

After becoming a lich, she focused her telekinetic powers on the new Governor of Tyrol, convincing him that she was the goddess Wolfram, and eventually made him sacrifice himself after choosing his replacement, a beautiful young girl from the city.  This girl would be controlled by Claudia from that point forward.  When she became too old (typically around 30 years old), the sacrifice would repeat, and a new young girl would be chosen. The heiress was always human, and always between 13-16 years old.  The high priestess was still conscious, but they were powerless to resist Claudia’s demands.  The current High Priestess of the Wolfram Theocratic Empire is Maria Elisabeth 1, who is the 632nd High Priestess.

Most clothing is reminiscent of the renaissance.  

Most tech has reverted, with the only firearms being used as black powder flintlock technology.  No horseless vehicles are used, though sometimes a remnant from the old empire is dug up in the fields surrounding the city.

#humans